{Postcards from Beijing}

The Temple of Heaven

Nihao! (Hello in Chinese)

This is my first trip to Asia and I have been in Beijing for four hot and hazy days.  The city's expanse as well as its modern design infused with old-world Chinese charm is an amazing sight to see and comprehend.  Their famous Birdcage stadium, built for the 2008 Olympics, is sandwiched between two dynasties' palaces, The Forbidden City and The Summer Palace.  I loved touring these palaces because their entire structure and design is saturated with symbols, for example: lions act as father and mother gatekeepers, dragons display power, and yellow pays tribute to the imperials.  One day, after a two-hour drive through the countryside, I walked along The Great Wall of China, another ancient marvel of mass and design.  With a long, hot day behind me, I ventured to the Hou Hai lake district at night, where red lanterns glitter against the backdrop of the lake and music fills the air with energy.  On my last day of touring, I visited a Hutong neighborhood, where I indulged in an old-fashioned rickshaw ride through its small and windy streets.  And lastly, much to my eyes’ delight, I toured the Lama Temple, a Buddhist temple and monastery, where incense burns steadily, monks draped in red and yellow robes chant from their scriptures below their giant gilded god, and common-folk worship beside them.  With each day I was entranced by Beijing’s ever-present design and old-world allure.  Now, the journey continues to Shanghai...

Yours,  Jenn



The Summer Palace



  



The Birdcage stadium





The Great Wall of China




The Hou Hai lake district





Rickshaws in the Hutong





Smiling Buddha at Lama Temple




Male lion gatekeeper at Lama Temple